For Better or Worse-sequel to Following Your Heart
by valsolo
Summary: NEWLY UPDATED! Obi-Wan's life is in danger, and Sari rushes to warn him. Will they finish what they started, or is it too late?
1. Default Chapter

Body **Title: For Better or Worse (sequel to Following Your Heart)**

**Author: valsolo**

**Genre/Rating: Romance/Adventure--- PG**

**Disclaimer: Of course, no infringement upon the rights of George Lucas are intended. This is just fan appreciation! Enjoy!**

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**Chapter 1---**

**"Not again, Master!" Anakin Skywalker pleaded as he wiped the sweat dripping from his brow before it could trickle into his eyes.**

**"You'll do it until you get it right, Anakin," his master stated firmly.**

**The two Jedi set up for yet another training match. Anakin knew that handling a light saber was an area of weakness for him and that practice would only make him better. However, he doubted he would ever be as graceful and skilled with the ancient sword as was Obi-Wan Kenobi.**

**Ever since Obi-Wan's return from the planet Teemar two months before, he had been a merciless taskmaster to his teenage padawan. Countless saber matches, hours upon endless hours of meditation--- it was pure torture! Anakin was beginning to think his master had gone over to the dark side.**

**The two began their parry in typical fashion with Obi-Wan pointing out Anakin's few strengths and many weaknesses in the art of light saber dueling.**

**"Anakin, you're swinging too wide."**

**"Anakin, you're leading with the wrong foot."**

**"Anakin, you're----"**

**"All right! All right!" the young man yelled as he stopped moving and powered down his saber. "I get the point! I'm no good with the saber. Geez! Give me a break!" Anakin turned away and mumbled under his breath. "No wonder you haven't heard from Sari. She probably doesn't want to have all of her flaws pointed out by a grumpy old nerfherder."**

**The minute the words were out of his mouth, Anakin could see the damage they had done by the pained look on Obi-Wan's face. The master stared off into space and shut down his saber.**

**"That's all for today. The rest of the afternoon is yours to do with as you please."**

**Anakin felt two inches tall.**

**"Obi-Wan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to--"**

**"No," Obi-Wan cut him off. "You're right. I shouldn't be taking out my frustrations on you, padawan. It's an unfortunate situation that cannot be helped." **

**Obi-Wan turned and walked several feet away from Anakin. The boy couldn't help but notice how his master's demeanor had changed completely at the mention of Sari Zendar's name. The older man had not shared all of the details of his experience involving the teacher from Teemar, but Anakin knew that she had carved a very special place in Obi-Wan's heart..... and that his life without her was the cause of his unpleasant disposition of the last two months.**

**Obi-Wan lowered his head and sighed deeply as the thought of her entered his mind for the millionth time. Not a day went by that he didn't think of her and her beautiful smile. Despite his attempts at calming his emotions, that all too familiar lump in his throat swelled once again, and he had to get away from Anakin.**

**"Excuse me," he said, trying to avoid his padawan's eyes as he passed the boy on his way out of the exercise arena. "We'll meet later for meditation."**

**"Yeah, okay," Anakin conceded as he watched the retreating form of his master-- his friend. Seeing Obi-Wan like this broke Anakin's heart as well, for since he had left his mother, Obi-Wan had become his only family. Seeing the man's unhappiness lay heavily on the boy's mind.**

**"There's got to be something I can do for him," Anakin Skywalker determined. "If anyone deserves a little happiness, he does." **

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**"Ma'am?"**

**"Hmm? What? Oh, yes, I'm sorry! You were saying?" **

**Sari Zendar forced herself to focus on the young man behind the ticket monitor as he rattled off her travel options one more time. Her mind kept wanting to drift away to thoughts of what she had heard last night at the school. By chance, she had found out that Chairman Calder, the principal of the school she taught at, had been involved in the kidnapping of many of her non-human students in an effort to sell them into slavery. Along with the new knowledge that he was planning on getting rid of her, she had also uncovered a plot to assassinate Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. Driving her now was the motivation to somehow get to Coruscant and warn him of this plan.**

**"... and would be leaving in about twenty minutes at docking bay 94," the young man concluded.**

**"Sounds great. I'll take that one," Sari replied. She handed over her credits, took the ticket card from him and stashed it in her pocket. "And how do I get to docking bay 94 exactly?" she asked sheepishly.**

**The young man rolled his eyes in exasperation and pointed to his left. "It's all the way at the end of this corridor. You can't miss it."**

**Sari glanced in that direction. To her dismay, she couldn't even see the end of the corridor. Picking up her bags, she took off at a brisk pace pushing her way through the throngs of other travelers, unsure of how long it might take to find the right bay.**

**Once on board the transport and settled in her small seat, it didn't take Sari long to fall asleep. The past night had been spent packing and making arrangements to leave. She had thought about contacting her parents to let them know where she would be, but she didn't want to put them in any danger. She decided she would call them when things quieted down. She hadn't contacted the school either. It crushed her to leave the children behind, but right now, alerting Obi-Wan was first priority.**

**So many conflicting emotions had weaved their way in and out of her mind and heart over the past several hours. She had been ready to forget all about Obi-Wan Kenobi and the fact that they had been bonded together. The marriage had never been consummated anyhow, and Sari had never told anyone about it. However, in light of the recent events, Sari's insides were a total mess all over again.**

**//Will he be happy to see me? What will I say? How will I act?// The questions kept playing over and over and over. Sleep was her only respite from the confusion. The trip to Coruscant would give her plenty of time to rest. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ **

**The call summoning him to the council chamber took Obi-Wan Kenobi by surprise. He couldn't help but wonder if this request had anything to do with his keeping a low profile around the temple. Since his return from Teemar, he had not slacked off in his Jedi duties, but he was more distant to the other Jedi and tended to spend much more time by himself. He did feel a bit guilty about his treatment of Anakin and thought that this meeting might be related to his young charge. Anakin Skywalker was the 'chosen one', after all, and Obi-Wan's was a huge responsibility. However, no matter how hard he tried, his heart just wasn't allowing his mind to concentrate on much of anything except a short brunette with huge blue eyes.**

**He was ready for the reprimand.**

**Standing before the council door, he took a deep breath and absent-mindedly rubbed his chin in thought. His beard had grown back, and the short haircut he had gotten when with Sari was longer as well. A lot had changed in two months.**

**// I wonder if she's changed?// The thought had surfaced before he could stop it. He shook his head as if to empty out the thoughts of Sari, then took a deep breath before entering.**

**The twelve council members sat in their usual places with their usual serious scowls etched in stone on their faces. //They never seem to change,// he thought. //Do they even know how to smile?// Again memories of Sari smiling and laughing as she shared stories of her childhood crossed his mind.**

**"Come in, Obi-Wan," spoke Master Yoda. "Wish to speak with you we do."**

**The Jedi knight came all the way into the circular room and stood in the midst of the twelve council members. He was very aware of his own thoughts and knew the Jedi masters could easily read him if they so desired. Suddenly, he felt very vulnerable and hastily put up a Force block in his mind.**

**A slight raise of Yoda's eyes let Obi-Wan know the master realized what the younger man was doing, yet the ancient Jedi did not pry any further. Instead he quickly began speaking.**

**"Called you here to make a request, we have." The anticipation was building inside Obi-Wan, even though he knew that such an emotion was very un-Jedi-like.**

**"Two months ago you completed a mission on the planet Teemar." Obi-Wan turned his head to face Mace Windu who was now speaking. "You reported on the involvement of Gustaf Perrin in the attempted kidnapping of non-human children."**

**//Where was this going?// Obi wondered. He could feel his face crinkle into the typical Jedi frown of concentration as Mace continued.**

**"This man, Perrin, has finally been apprehended and is being extradicted here to Coruscant for further prosecution."**

**A slight flood of relief washed over Obi-Wan. Sari's students would be safer with this man out of circulation.**

**"What we request of you is your cooperation with the Coruscant authorities. They will be sending a legal prosecutor here to interview you in an effort to collect evidence against Perrin."**

**"Of course," Kenobi offered willingly. "Anything I can do." This wasn't so bad. He could handle this.**

**Yoda and Mace looked at each other, and unspoken words passed between them. Hesitantly, Yoda continued. "More complicated it is. We have word that Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has taken an interest in this case." The Jedi master paused before continuing. "A bad feeling I have about this, Obi-Wan. Be on your guard."**

**"Yes. Of course," Obi-Wan replied. An uneasy feeling began to creep into his body. For Yoda to feel the need to give him a warning certainly couldn't bode well for this situation. "Is that all, master?"**

**"Yes... for now. Talk about the rest later we will," Yoda added. Obi-Wan caught the hidden message and knew he would have to face the music eventually. He bowed courteously, then spun around and exited the chamber. As he walked back to his quarters, he got a sense of impending danger and change.... and also felt a familiar presence approaching, although still some distance away. He chuckled to himself.**

**"You're losing it, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now you're imagining her presence. You've got to snap out of it."**

**A young female padawan passing him in the hall looked nervously as he continued to argue with himself. She quickly increased her pace and put as much distance as she could between herself and the strange Jedi still mumbling to himself behind her.**

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**The tall, slender, blonde sat impatiently in the private office of the Supreme Chancellor. She could feel the gaze of the guards on her and had to stifle a chuckle. It was something she was used to. Everywhere she went, men of every species always stared admiringly at her. Her feminine attributes had served to escalate her position in life, and she wilingly used them at every opportunity. Men wanted her. Women wanted to be her. It was a burden she happily bore. **

**Now all of her hard work was coming to a head. She had been sought out by the Supreme Chancellor himself for a job she was sure would be her big break.**

**Purposely, she shifted her position in the chair and softly flipped her long locks over her shoulder with a shake of her head. Then she offered a flirtatious smile to the two guards standing outside of the Chancellor's door.**

**"Do you by chance have the time?"**

**Both men hastened clumsily to look at their chronos, wanting desperately to be the one to answer first. Again, Adara Lon stifled a laugh. These men were supposed to be the elite of the elite. They were trained to stand silent and unmoving for hours at a time, yet one glance from her and their training was thrown out of the window. She sighed. Power was intoxicating.**

**Just then, the Chancellor's door opened and there stood the most powerful man in the galaxy. The men tried to appear at attention, but he knew instantly that they had been distracted. They would be.... reprimanded later. He offered a smile to Adara and invited her into his office.**

**She stood to her full height, quite tall for a human female, straightened her tight-fitting dress, then walked past the guards offering a wink that left each of them thinking it had been just for him. Palpatine had to admit... she was good, which is exactly why he had chosen her for this job.**

**"Please sit down, Miss Lon," he offered as he pulled out a chair for her.**

**"Thank you, Chancellor."**

**He took a seat behind his large desk and paused before continuing. He studied her as she gazed around his office and took in all of its details. If he were a normal man, her beauty would render him helpless, he was sure. However, he was not just any man, and women offered little satisfaction for him. Ultimate power was his desire, and she would simply be one more tool to help him gain more control over the galaxy and all its people.**

**"I am sure you are wondering why I have summoned you here, Miss Lon," he began.**

**"Please, call me Adara," she interjected with another winning smile.**

**"Yes... Adara. I am in need of someone with your... abilities as a prosecutor."**

**"Anything for you, Chancellor," Adara replied as she leaned back in her seat. They were always in need of her 'abilities.' **

**The Chancellor went on to inform her of the case against Gustaf Perrin and his impending trial. Adara couldn't quite read the Chancellor's true feelings on the matter, so she kept listening intently for a clue.**

**"I want you to lead the prosecution against this man, Perrin. To do so, you will have to work closely with Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi knight who was involved in the downfall of the accused." He paused.**

**"I can do that, sir. However...," she leaned forward, "... why do I get the feeling there's more to this than you're telling me?"**

**Palpatine was shocked by her aggressiveness, yet he couln't help but admire her boldness. If she were a man or any other woman, her blatant assertions might have earned her a quick dismissal. He chuckled, and Adara thought it sounded like an evil cackle. A chill ran up her spine.**

**"You do not disappoint, Adara," he said. He had carefully researched her background and knew she was very ambitious, stopping at nothing to further her own purposes. Just his type. "I am trusting you with this case because it is of utmost importance to me. If you fail me, you'll be finished... and I don't just mean your career. Do you understand?"**

**The cards were on the table. There was no turning back.**

**She nodded her head in agreement. "Yes. I understand completely."**

**Supreme Chancellor Palpatine then proceeded to reveal his true purpose for her assignment. **

**A bit shaken after their meeting, she quickly recovered and offered one last flirtatious grin to the two guards as they held the doors open for her on her way out. For the first time, Adara was a bit frightened by a man. Palpatine's plan both invigorated her and scared her to death all at the same time. As long as she could stay on his good side, she would have no worries. It was the fear of failing him that left her uneasy.**

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	2. Chapter 2

Body **For Better or Worse-- Chapter 2....**

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**"Amazing! Absolutely amazing!" Those were the only words Sari could think of as she peered out the viewport of the transport. They had cleared the planetary shields of Coruscant and were descending upon the center of the capital planet. Everywhere she looked stretched mile after mile of towering buildings, and the skies were saturated with so many different types of vehicles, most of which Sari had never seen the likes of ever before. All she had learned about Coruscant in her life was coming true right before her eyes, yet even all of that knowledge hadn't prepared her for the shock of such a place.**

**After waiting for an open landing pad, the transport finally set down, and all the passengers began departing for their various destinations. As Sari was walking down the exit ramp, she was almost knocked over by a rambunctious Quarren child. The little boy stopped quickly and apologized before taking off again. Sari just chuckled. She understood that children tended to get a bit excited about things at times.**

**"Oh, how abominable!" The voice came from behind Sari on the ramp, and she turned to see the speaker. It was a well dressed, elderly woman, and Sari thought that if she had her nose any further in the air, she might drown if it started to rain.**

**"I'll tell you the truth, these aliens are really becoming a problem. They have no respect for anyone or anything, I tell you. It's just horrible!" The woman had leaned in close to Sari and apparently expected the younger woman to share the same sentiments.**

**After recovering from the shock of the woman's blatant prejudice, Sari managed a short reply.**

**"He was just excited about being here... much like I am. You know, I've found that respect is a two way street-- if you give it, you usually get it back." Then she turned and continued on down the ramp.**

**"Well, I never--," was all the stunned woman could manage.**

**Sari had to chuckle under her breath. The poor manners of some people never ceased to amaze her. **

**She quickly found a hover cab and began the remaining leg of her journey to the Jedi temple. The taxi driver tried to make small talk and asked way too many questions.**

**"Are you a Jedi?"**

**"Do you have family at the temple?'**

**"You know, I once drove a Jedi---"**

**_//Yeah, drove him insane most likely!//_ she thought to herself. She managed to answer yes or no from time to time while her mind drifted off to other places. At first she had been avidly taking in all of the surroundings they passed on their drive, but after a few minutes all of the buildings started melding together and she lost interest. That's when Obi-Wan crept in.**

**She knew she had to warn him, but after she did, then what? Having never been to Coruscant or many other places, she had no idea of where she would go. Maybe he would help her find a place to stay, or maybe even a job like he had suggested before. She snarled her nose as she looked out the window of the cab once more at the crowded city. Could she stand it here on Coruscant? Only time would tell.**

**"Well, here ya are, sweetheart--- the renowned Jedi temple. Are you sure you don't want to stop at a hotel first? I got a friend that owns a good one just a few blocks away."**

**"No, thank you. I... I'm not even sure how long I'll be on Coruscant," she replied casting her eyes down to the ground with a sigh.**

**Well, enjoy your stay on our lovely planet." His last words sounded a bit sarcastic, but he had been pleasant enough. He helped Sari remove her bags and then took off in search of his next fare. Maybe, she thought as she stared after his cab, just maybe all of the stories she had heard about the capital planet and its cold-hearted citizens wasn't true after all.**

**"Hey!!" came a gruff female voice. "Why don't you get your junk out of the middle of the sidewalk!" A tall, rough looking woman was speaking, no--- yelling at Sari. For emphasis she even kicked one of Sari's bags before continuing on down the street. Sari was dumb struck.**

**"Guess I spoke too soon," she thought shaking it off with a cynical chuckle. Sari stood on the sidewalk and looked at the building in front of her. **

**The Jedi temple. A sacred place held in highest respect throughout the galaxy. A place which housed and trained present and future defenders of justice and all that was good and right. It made her skin tingle with its unmeasurable importance. She had to admit, she was a little intimidated.**

**Her eyes followed it up, up, up so high until she could see nothing but sky. Did it ever end? It was a grand old building, quite different from the others surrounding it. Taking a deep breath, she hefted her bags over her shoulder and headed for the entrance. There would be no turning back now.**

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**Sari entered the temple, passing two robed figures stationed on each side of the door. She assumed they were guards of some type that, using the Force, could probably sense if anyone was planning an assault of some kind. Or maybe they just had plain old blasters hidden beneath those cloaks. Either way, she could feel their eyes and thoughts on her as she strode into the lobby wondering where to go next.**

**//What am I going to say to him?// she asked herself as the realization that she would soon see Obi-Wan closed in on her once again. // 'Hello. Remember me?--- your WIFE?... the one you left without even saying goodbye to?!'// Doubts flooded her mind and she turned to leave. //I'll just contact him some other way...... hologram, maybe....//**

**"May I help you?" Sari had almost walked right into the speaker. She glanced down to see another robed figure like the ones at the door, only shorter and a bit.... green. The species was unknown to her, but she assumed she was most certainly a Jedi.**

**"Oh... hello," Sari offered as she clumsily shifted her bags and stuck out her hand in greeting. The Jedi calmly accepted Sari's gesture and offered a slight grin.**

**"Is there something I can do for you, my child? You look somewhat.... unsure of where you are and what you are doing." The Jedi emanated a peaceful aura that spilled over onto Sari, and the teacher took a deep, cleansing breath before responding.**

**"I'm, uh.... I'm looking for a Jedi..... a knight named Obi-Wan Kenobi. Do you know him?" The Jedi studied Sari for a few seconds as if sizing up her intent. Then she replied.**

**"Know him, I do. Come with me you will. I will see if he is available." The short Jedi began to lead Sari to a small desk that held a monitor and a console with hundreds of buttons. While the Jedi punched in a few codes, she looked up at Sari and asked, "Whom should I say is calling?"**

**For some reason, that simple question felt to Sari like a bucket of ice water had just been splashed in her face. //I'm actually here! I'm really going to see him again after all of this time.// She didn't quite know how to feel, but knew she was very near to passing out from nerves.**

**"I'm, uh.... I'm Sari Zendar, his...." here she stumbled with what to call herself, " his friend from Teemar. I have some very important news for him about a mission he had on my planet a couple of months ago."**

**"All right then. It will just take a moment. Please have a seat right over there," she said pointing to a small waiting area. The young woman moved to take a seat, all the while trying desperately to settle the nerves in her stomach.**

**As she waited, Sari began to focus on the people around her. The two 'guards' still stood watch at the temple entryway. Other beings dressed in garments similar to Obi-Wan's came and went, some even smiling at her before resuming their typical look of dour seriousness. There were also others waiting like her whom she assumed were there to plead their causes and beg for Jedi help.**

**"Miss Zendar," came the voice behind her. It was the Jedi. "Someone will be down to see you in just a few moments."**

**"Thank you," Sari replied a bit unsure of what the Jedi had actually meant. Was Obi-Wan coming down, or was someone else coming to inform her that he did not wish to see her or even hear her news? Again the doubts entered unmercifully. Well, she would only have a few minutes to wait and see.**

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**Several times over the few minutes of waiting, Sari had thought she had seen Obi-Wan entering the lobby. Her heart would jump, her hands start sweating and her head would begin reeling and swirling. However, each time after realizing it wasn't him, she would experience a huge emotional let down as her heart would plunge to the floor. After the third time, she determined not to keep watch anymore. Instead, she busied herself with the fine art of fidgeting. She would fluff up her hair, straighten her clothes, and then rub the glitterstone pendant he had given her between her fingers before forcing herself to move onto some other meaningless nonsense.**

**"Sari?" Her heart stopped and she gulped before turning to see....... no, it wasn't Obi-Wan, but still a familiar face.**

**"Anakin?" she questioned to be sure. He seemed quite tall, more so than Obi-Wan, but he was still somewhat a gangly teenager. His blond hair was spiked short and a long thin braid hung over his right shoulder. His friendly smile relieved some of her tension.**

**"Wow! You're really here. This is cool!" He didn't reveal that he and his master had been discussing her so recently, and he attempted to regain a touch of maturity. "Um, Obi-Wan's not here right now, but they sent me down to get you." He picked up her bags and effortlessly tossed them over his shoulder. "Come on. I'll take you upstairs."**

**Sari's nerves were still in an uproar. She didn't know much more than when she first arrived only that he wasn't there at the moment. Would he even want to see her when he did return? //I'm never going to make it!//**

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**Sari stood in the middle of the rather small, sterile apartment and sighed. Was this really**

**happening to her? Was she really in danger of losing her life? Had she just traveled thousands of miles to warn a man that his life was in danger too? It all seemed so unreal, yet here she was.... in Obi-Wan Kenobi's apartment in the Jedi temple on Coruscant.**

**"Just make yourself at home, Miss Zendar. I'm sure my master will be back in just a little while. He had some type of meeting, I believe." The young man sat Sari's bags down carefully and offered her a friendly smile.**

**"Thank you, Anakin," Sari replied softly. Anakin noticed a look of unease spread across Sari's face and could sense her anxiousness. **

**"He'll be really happy to see you," he added. She jerked to give him a surprised look.**

**"Oh, I don't know about that!" she muttered mostly to herself. Anakin was dying to ask about this woman's true connection with his master, but forced himself to squelch his curiosity --- for now.**

**Just then a beeping sound went off and Anakin reached into his pocket to retrieve his comm link. Sari wasn't paying much attention as he spoke quietly to the person on the other end. Now she was in 'his' home, and it felt very strange. She slowly turned around to take in the whole main room in all its boringly plain splendor. A dark gray nerf-hide couch was off to her left indicating, she assumed, the living room area. A small table was next to it, stacked neatly with various kinds of reading material. She might have to peruse that later, she thought with a smirk. Straight ahead was a small dining area and kitchen. It, too, was very neat and tidy. She had to wonder if he was really so neat or if he was just never home to mess anything up. **

**_//What did he think of my place?//_ she couldn't help but think to herself. Her home was definitely more......... 'lived in.'**

**Off to her right was a short hallway with one door at the end and one off to the right. Suddenly realizing it had been a while since her last visit to the refresher, she desperately hoped one of those doors would allow her some relief.**

**After returning from the refresher, she felt a little better. However, that feeling only lasted until Anakin informed her that the Jedi council wished to meet with her.**

**"The council? They sound pretty important. Do they want to meet me _right_ now?" Now she understood why students would complain of a stomachache when they knew they were going to be called to the principal's office. **

**"Yeah, right now," Anakin replied with a look that said he understood her apprehension completely. "I told them I'd bring you up."**

**Sari swallowed hard and took a deep breath. "Well, then,....... let's go." Anakin offered his arm and Sari graciously accepted thinking it might come in handy if she started to faint.**

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	3. Chapter 3

Body **For Better or Worse-- Chapter 3....**

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**"Jedi Kenobi, it's an honor to finally meet you in person!" Adara Lon rose from her chair and moved toward Obi-Wan Kenobi thrusting her hand into his. Just as he was beginning to shake it, she raised it up to him as if expecting him to kiss it.... but he didn't. He offered a kind smile, shook it firmly once and then gently let it drop. The blonde woman in front of him seemed a bit taken aback at his apparent unaffectedness, but quickly smiled a large, toothy smile to cover up her shock. **

****

**To him she was blindingly transparent.... so self-absorbed in her own beauty that she could scarce contain herself. True, outwardly she was dazzling and most men would gladly kiss a bantha just to have a minute of her attention. However, she didn't compare to the beauty, inside and out, of a short little brunette that he couldn't get out of his mind.**

****

**"Won't you sit down?" she offered motioning to a chair next to hers. He nodded his head in thanks and took a seat.**

****

**Adara began to speak, stating what she knew of the Perrin case up to this point. Every so often she would stop to ask for affirmation from the Jedi, and he would nod or offer a short answer. His head just wasn't into this endeavor. For the past couple of days, he had continued to have a nagging feeling at the back of his mind that something life-changing was going to happen to him soon. He had learned early on in his use of the Force, not to waste time guessing at all the possibilities such a premonition conjured up, but he couldn't help but hope that maybe it had something to do with Sari.**

****

**Even after two months, he hadn't been able to forget about her...... and truth be told, he didn't really want to forget her. Leaving her on Teemar had been for her own good so that she would not have to choose between him and everything else in her life. Still, they remained legally bonded even though he had told no one, not even Anakin. If she ever wanted to get on with that part of her life, she would have to contact him again.**

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**_//Only she probably hates me by now,//_ he admitted. After he had left, he realized what a coward he was when it came to matters of the heart. He had taken the easy way out, and if he ever did see her again, he wouldn't know what to say or how to act. She'd probably give him a smack, and rightly so.**

****

**He tried refocusing on the pretty young lawyer and what she was saying instead.**

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**"So then, this....um.... S--Sa--,"**

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**"Sari," he corrected.**

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**"Yes, thank you, Jedi Kenobi. This Sari actually saw and spoke to Gustaf Perrin?"**

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**"That's right."**

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**"Hmmm... well, then this would appear to be an open and shut case. That is if we can locate this Sari in time to testify."**

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**"Locate? What do you mean?" Now she had his full attention. "She lives on Teemar. Her address is listed in the case file, I'm sure."**

****

**Adara noticed the urgency in the Jedi's demeanor. He had not been very attentive to her during this meeting, and she did not like it when she was not the center of attention. She would enjoy 'sharing' this next bit of information with him.**

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**"Oh, I'm sorry. I assumed you would know. It seems that Miss Zendar is........ missing. Our office sent word to her. We even sent an agent to Teemar to talk to her and inform her of the necessity for her presence here on Coruscant."**

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**Obi-Wan could feel a sense of dread gripping his heart.**

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**"However, she was no where to be found. She hadn't reported to work. Her apartment was empty. Even her parents were contacted and they had no idea where she was either." Adara could sense the desperation in Kenobi. She could tell that he and this teacher must have gotten 'close' during their escapade. She rose from her seat and moved behind him to lean down to his ear.**

****

**"Without her, I'm not sure we'll be able to get a conviction, and that would be a crime. Do you know where she is, Jedi Kenobi?" she asked with a breathy whisper.**

****

**He turned back to look at her. Something didn't seem right. Was she telling the truth? Was Sari really missing? Adara Lon was supposed to be on his side, but for some reason he didn't trust her. Like Qui-Gon had said many times, beauty could be very deceptive.**

****

**"No.... no I don't."**

****

**Adara rose back up to her full height. "That's too bad," she muttered. A buzzer sounded at Adara's desk.**

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**"Miss Lon?" came a mechanical voice.**

**"Yes, what is it?" she snapped.**

****

**"Jedi Kenobi has been requested back at the temple by the Jedi council, m'am. He's to leave immediately."**

****

**"All right then. Thank you." Adara glanced at Obi-Wan. "Well, I suppose that's all for now. I'll do what I can in the mean time. If you hear anything about Miss Zendar, please let me know as soon as possible, will you?"**

****

**"Of course," Obi-Wan replied. Then he stood, bowed, and left the office, glad to be out of what felt like a spider's web. He had no desire to be a poor soul stuck in her clutches. Right now he just wanted to find Sari and learn what was so important at the temple. With a quickened pace, he hurried ever faster back to the temple.**

****

****

**_*More to come!...._**


	4. Chapter 4

Body For Better or Worse-- Chapter 4... 

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"Whenever I see that door," Anakin motioned down the corridor, "I immediately prepare to be scolded. Of course, that could be because that's usually the only time I come here!" As he finished the last sentence, he offered a lopsided grin. 

Sari chuckled. "So, you're in trouble a lot, eh?" He was definitely going to be a heartbreaker someday. It didn't hurt that he also had a healthy sense of humor to accompany his killer smile. Obi-Wan had shared some of his young padawan's past with her, and she found it inspiring that a boy who had gone through so much in such a short amount of time could still be such an optimist. It was refreshing. 

As they approached the chamber entrance, a robed figure moved in front of them. Anakin offered a brief bow. 

"I am Padawan Skywalker here upon request of the council with guest Sari Zendar." 

_//So formal!//_ Sari thought as the other figure nodded and moved to open the door. Anakin leaned down to whisper in her ear. 

"There's a lot of that in this place," he said. Sari looked at him a bit confused trying to figure out what he was referring to. "Formality, I mean. Especially with these guys." He faced front and led her into the large circular room. 

_//How did he know---?//_ she wondered. Jedi were certainly an unpredictable sort. 

Sari tried not to appear too amazed by what she saw, but knew she probably wasn't hiding it too well. The moment she set foot in the council chamber, a serious solemnity overwhelmed her. This was a sacred place..... a place of great wisdom and contemplation..... a place that held the moral fate of the galaxy within its walls. 

_//Whoa!//_ was all she could mutter to herself. 

Anakin continued into the middle of the circular room. Twelve robed figures sat at even intervals in chairs of various styles all around its circumference. All eyes and minds were focused on her, and she felt as if her very soul was laid bare before them. 

"Welcome, Miss Zendar." Sari turned to face the speaker. It was a tiny green man with elfin features. "Yoda I am. Graced by your presence the council is." 

"Thank you.... sir," she replied, not knowing the proper way to address him. 

"Jedi Yeedo informed us that you bring news of great importance for one of our own. Related to the Teemar kidnapping incident, is it?" 

"Yes... yes, it is. Jedi knight Obi-Wan Kenobi is in grave danger. I felt I must come here in person to be sure the warning reached him in time." 

The council went on to ask Sari questions about this threat. Anakin stayed right by her side listening intently and finding out more about his master with her every word. Although Obi had shared the basic story with his padawan, Anakin knew there was much more to tell. And besides, Obi-Wan was his family--- a strange mix between a father, a brother, and a best friend--- and any threat to his master was also a threat to him. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Obi-Wan Kenobi could sense an urgency in the Force and something else.... a kind of flicker in the back of his mind that was pulling him as quickly as he could move back to the temple. Unfortunately, due to the 'thriftiness' of the Jedi, he was forced to use the public transport system of Coruscant. He managed to keep a rein on his cool, even though he did let slip a few curses under his breath each time the antiquated passenger car stopped to let people on or off. 

The words of Adara Lon kept repeating over and over in his mind. Sari was missing. He knew that worry was not an emotion a Jedi should cater to, but try as he might, he couldn't knock the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach. The only thing he was certain of was that his life was about to change. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

When Sari was right in the middle of explaining the conversation she had overheard between Chairman Calder and the dark man, the council door unexpectedly swished open and in he strode..... Obi-Wan Kenobi. She gasped softly, and only Anakin heard her. 

Obi-Wan had his eyes fixed on Yoda as he walked in, but something--- that same flicker--- stopped him dead in his tracks. A familiar presence was blazing so brightly that he immediately snapped his head around to face the others standing mid-chamber. 

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped, yet only for the briefest moment. He didn't want anyone else to notice his total loss of emotional control. 

_//It's her!//_ he shouted inside himself. Had she come back for him? What he had hoped for and imagined for the last two months was actually happening. He dared not look at her for too long else everyone would clearly sense his feelings about this woman. Instead, he offered only the slightest nod to Sari and Anakin and then turned back to Yoda. 

"Masters, I have come as quickly as I could," he bowed. Could anyone else hear his heart pounding? It sounded like a bass drum in his own ears. It was taking all of his control to keep from running to her and taking her in his arms. She was more beautiful than ever standing there, and just to feel her next to him this close was almost more than he could bear. 

Try as he might, Obi-Wan Kenobi could not keep his emotions completely hidden from the Jedi Masters. Yoda and Mace Windu looked strangely at one another, each raising an eyebrow in interest. Obi-Wan noticed this and started to get a bit nervous. Quickly he put up a mental block, hoping it was in time. 

As high as Sari's heart had soared upon seeing him enter the room, it plunged even lower after his curt and impersonal acknowledgment of her. Not that she had expected him to envelope her in a huge embrace, but still.... Well, so be it then. In her mind it was now confirmed---- he wanted nothing to do with her. True, she had considered this possibility during her trip, but it wasn't the option her heart had chosen. 

Anakin felt it. 

He felt the joyful surprise in his master as soon as he had looked upon her face. He felt Obi-Wan's emotional walls snap into place soon after because of the fear of his true feelings being revealed to the council. He had felt Sari's heightened hopes and then the crash of those same hopes when Obi-Wan had abruptly turned away from her. Also, he felt the curiosity of the twelve council members and knew that they felt it all, too..... or at least some of it. 

This was already a mess, and his master had only just arrived. 

"Thank you, we do, for your speedy return," Master Yoda said, finally breaking the awkward silence. He sensed something strange between the Jedi and this visitor and wanted to know more. "Already know you Sari Zendar, we assume." 

Obi-Wan swallowed hard still refusing to look at her. "Yes, Master. I do." 

Try as she might, Sari couldn't take her eyes off of the young master. There he stood, only feet from her, flesh and blood, in his same old clothes and boots, only his hair and beard had grown back making him seem so much older. Anakin noted her attention and saw that the council did as well. He could sense the wheels turning in Yoda's mind. 

"Come here for _your_ sake, she has, Obi-Wan," the elder master stated matter of factly. Both Obi-Wan and Sari glared up at Yoda, a look of guilt playing plainly on their faces. 

_//Oh, man!//_ Anakin thought to himself. _//This is so... so... this is going to be_ _rough.//_ It was so apparent to everyone in the chamber that both were trying desperately to hide their feelings about one another. Anakin almost felt sorry for his friend, but had to admit, it would be enjoyable to see him squirm.... just a little. 

Yoda continued. "Cares a great deal about you, she does." Again he paused. Anakin felt the tension and had to chuckle inwardly. He realized that Yoda was only fishing for the truth. 

_//What is he implying?//_ Obi-Wan wondered. He could feel his palms getting sweaty, and he quickly maneuvered the Force to help calm himself down. 

"Miss Zendar has come to warn you of a possible threat on your life, Obi-Wan." Thankfully, Mace Windu had pity upon the knight and continued the important business at hand. "Would you please continue, Miss Zendar?" 

Sari perked up and cleared her throat. "Of course. About four days ago I managed to overhear a conversation between my superior, Chairman Calder, and another man. I do not know who this other man is. I only saw him briefly in a hologram. He wore a dark, hooded robe which kept his face hidden." 

Obi's lip formed into a snarl. _Calder_. He should have known. Why hadn't he sensed the man's deception? The principal of Sari's school would have had to be in on the kidnapping scheme in order for it to go so smoothly. 

"However, I heard him... heard him say that he would 'take care' of Obi-Wan Kenobi... once and for all. It didn't take a scholar to figure out what he meant, and I knew I needed to alert Jedi Kenobi as soon as possible." Sari glanced over at Obi-Wan and for once he looked back. In her eyes he saw sincere concern and sensed there was more she wasn't mentioning. 

"Is that all, Miss Zendar?" Yoda asked. "More you are not telling us. Please know that you are safe here." 

Sari hesitated. She didn't know why she held back the fact that her life was also in danger. Maybe she was afraid it would cause Obi-Wan to pity her, and of all the things she would like to get from him, pity wasn't one of them. 

"Master Yoda," she began, "I came to Coruscant for the main purpose of warning Jedi Kenobi. He performed a great service for me.... and my students," she quickly added fighting back the rising heat in her cheeks. "I only came here in person because...," Here she stopped, all the others hanging on her every word. 

Obi-Wan was intently watching her face, that same face he had been dreaming about since he first laid eyes on her two months before. 

".... because my life is in danger as well. Chairman Calder assured the dark man that he would.... dispose of me." There. She had said it. 

Anakin heard Obi-Wan's quick intake of air and saw him straighten into a warrior's stance. Even the young padawan felt himself suddenly protective of this woman as if she were part of his family, too. 

"I see," Yoda replied. He looked at Mace Windu as if sharing a secret thought, and then spoke again. "A great risk you have taken in leaving your home and coming here to warn Jedi Kenobi. Investigate further we will. Until this situation is resolved, we offer you our protection. Obi-Wan?" 

The knight nodded in obeisance. "Yes, Master?" 

"The council charges you with the safekeeping of Sari Zendar until such time as it is no longer necessary. Guard her life as if it is your own." 

"Yes, Master," he said. 

Anakin was sure he noticed a slight blush on his master's face which just so happened to match the color of Sari's cheeks. Surely, the council could tell that there was something between these two. _//What kind of game is Yoda playing now?//_ Anakin wondered. 

"May the Force be with you," Yoda added as a dismissal, and the three turned to exit the chamber. Sari and Obi-Wan were still avoiding each other's eyes as he motioned for her to go first through the door. Once they were in the hallway, Anakin decided to take matters into his own hands. 

"Well, Sari, I'm sure you're hungry and tired. Why don't we get you something to eat? I'm pretty hungry myself.... as usual," he lightheartedly added. _//Help me out here_, _Obi-Wan!//_ he shot his master's way. If his friend wasn't willing to help himself, this chance was going to pass him by quicker than a Hutt could finish off a whole side of nerf! 

Obi-Wan got the message loud and clear and was highly embarrassed that his padawan felt the need to offer 'assistance' in such a manner. 

"Yes, yes... let's get some dinner, shall we?" Obi offered. 

Sari couldn't deny the grumbling in her stomach. Some of it was owed to nerves, but she hadn't eaten for quite a while either, so she agreed. As long as Anakin was around she should be okay. 

The trio made their way to the temple dining hall, Anakin doing all the talking most of the way there. Sari wondered if this was just as awkward for Obi-Wan as it was for her. 

Obi-Wan wondered if this was just as awkward for Sari as it was for him. Part of him had just wanted to take her in his arms the moment he first saw her standing in the council chamber, her blue eyes sparkling and dark curls delicately framing her face. 

Yet something had held him back..... it was fear---- the fear of having his feelings for her known by the council. This was a fragile situation. He didn't know how the Masters would react to his 'bonding' if they found out. 

And now..... now he was charged by them to protect her at all costs. _//Master Yoda_ _must be taking this threat very seriously. Maybe he knows something I don't.//_ he thought. How was he going to handle being around her constantly? It certainly wasn't going to make it easy to put her out of his mind. 

Anakin had found them a small table at the back of the dining hall. However, to get there they had to pass practically every other diner in the room. The eyes of every Jedi knight, padawan, and initiate watched the three with open curiosity. Sari was a new face, and to be with two such high-profile Jedi made her quite interesting. 

"Who is she?" was muttered at every table, and the speculation was off and running. 

Obi-Wan chivalrously pulled her chair out and helped with her tray before sitting down opposite her. Anakin started to sit but then took a look at his wrist chronometer and exclaimed, "Oh no! I almost forgot! I have to.... um... I have to meet.... Gap for.... uh... for a ..... study session." 

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow as he glared at his young friend. _//Since when do you_ _study willingly?//_ he asked through the Force knowing full well what his padawan was up to. 

_//Work with me here!//_ Anakin sent back. "Well, enjoy your meal, Sari. See ya later!" Then the boy was gone leaving Sari and Obi-Wan alone at the table. A few seconds of pulsating silence passed before the Jedi chuckled. 

"What?" Sari asked. "What's so funny?" 

"Anakin doesn't know anyone named Gap," he stated with a grin. 

"Oh," she replied, gradually breaking a smile of her own. 

Obi-Wan finished his meal first. Ever since his early days with Qui-Gon, he had learned to eat heartily whenever he had the chance. With his old master, one could never be sure when the next meal would come. He glanced over at her and could hardly believe that she was sitting right in front of him. Was it just another dream? 

"Thank you for coming to warn me, Sari," he finally muttered. She looked up, swallowed the bite in her mouth, and smiled. 

"It's the least I could do after all you had done for my students." **_//.... and me,//_** she wanted to add, but didn't. She was going to keep this simple---- simple and noncommittal. 

"You took a great risk in coming here on your own with your life in danger, too. Are you okay?" 

The kindness in his face instantly began melting her resolve. If she was going to get through this, she was going to have to toughen up. 

"I'm fine. It was nothing really. I only regret not being able to say good-bye to my students and my parents. They must be worried sick." Focusing her thoughts on such things seemed to help a little. Obi-Wan instinctively reached over and touched her hand with his own. 

"We'll get word to them that you're safe. Everything will work out. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Sari." Their eyes locked. _//What am I doing?!//_ he thought. 

_//What is he doing?!//_ Sari wondered. Touching was **_not_** good, nor was looking into those deep, soulful eyes of his. She pulled back her hand and started eating again. 

Obi-Wan got the message loud and clear. She didn't want anything to do with him. Despite the disappointment in his heart, he forced himself to talk. "Did you hear that Perrin has been captured?" 

"Really?" she replied with sincere interest. 

"Yes, in fact, he is being brought to Coruscant to face charges. I met with a prosecutor today right before I came to the council chamber to share what I knew of him. She had informed me that, according to her sources, you were missing. Supposedly someone had been sent to retrieve you but found no trace of your whereabouts, not even when they contacted your parents." 

Sari's head was swimming. Perrin captured? Her parents? All of this was overwhelming. 

"They contacted my parents?!" she repeated. Obi could sense her fear and had to keep from reaching out for her again. The color drained from her face in an instant. 

"I think I'm finished eating," she said, pushing her half-full plate away from her. Any appetite she had was now gone with the wind. Obi-Wan moved quickly to help her out of her chair. 

"Of course." 

Hundreds of curious eyes continued to watch as the Jedi knight led the mystery woman out of the dining hall. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_*More to come!....._


	5. Chapter 5

Body For Better or Worse--- Chapter 5... 

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Adara Lon punched in the code for Chancellor Palpatine's private holo line. She didn't have much to report after her first day on the case, but she most certainly wasn't giving up yet. She had the utmost confidence in her own capabilities, and failure just wasn't an option. 

His imposing figure blinked to life in front of her, and for just a moment she felt a jolt of fear. 

"Miss Lon, I've been waiting for your call. How did it go today?" 

"Chancellor Palpatine, I hope I'm not inconveniencing you at this late hour. I spoke with Obi-Wan Kenobi as you ordered. He doesn't know where she is either, of that I'm sure. However, I think I've stumbled onto something we hadn't expected." She was quite proud of her skills of deduction and hoped Palpatine would be equally impressed. 

"What might that be?" he asked. 

"I believe he and this teacher had some type of 'relationship' . He seemed very upset by the news that she was missing. I could sense his desperation as soon as he heard it." She watched the chancellor while he contemplated this bit of information. Shadows seemed to dance across his aging face causing him to appear almost ghost-like. Adara shivered at the sight. 

"Is that all?" he finally said with a slight twinge of contempt. 

Adara shifted uneasily in her seat. "For now, my lord. I believe I can use this news to help further our purpose." 

"I'm glad you can be so confident, Miss Lon. I look forward to your next call and the better report I'm sure you'll provide. Good night." The image dissipated leaving Adara staring at blank space. This was not starting out very well at all. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Despite her protests, Obi-Wan insisted that Sari stay in his apartment. It was the only way for him to effectively do his 'duty'. 

"It's late, and it will be better if I can be close by. I'll stay in Anakin's room right next door. Tomorrow we can see about other arrangements... if you want." He knew it would probably be best for her to stay somewhere else if he wanted to avoid any 'entanglements', but he really preferred she stay right where she was..... for her safety of course. 

Against the better judgement of her all-too-practical mind, she aquiesced. She was getting tired and the thought of trying to find a hotel room at this hour wasn't too attractive. However, the thought of sleeping in his bed, even alone, was causing nervous flutters in her stomach. _//He's only doing all of this because he was forced to. It's his *job*, Sari. Just remember that.//_

__

Sari sat down on the couch and tried to relax while he moved into the kitchen to fix her a calming cup of warm kaffe. She felt drawn to watch his every move, being sure to look away if he glanced over. A couple of times he did catch her looking, and she quickly picked up a holomag from his end table and tried to look 'busy'. 

He turned away and grinned to himself. _//What is she doing?// _

__

__"I don't mean to put you through all of this trouble. Just because I came here doesn't mean that I expect you to turn your life upside down for me. I am a grown woman, you know. I can take care of myself." 

Obi-Wan joined her in the living room and carefully placed the hot cup in her hand. Then he settled in next to her on the couch, safely at the opposite end. "I know you are capable of taking care of yourself, but this is different. If the council thinks it important enough to ensure your safety, then I'm going to trust their instincts. I happen to think there is more to this whole thing then either of us knows." 

"What do you mean?" she asked in between sips, the hair on the back of her neck rising along with a chill that ran up her spine. 

"I'm not sure... not yet anyway. It's just a feeling I have." Obi cursed himself for opening his mouth. He could sense her stress level rising once again, which is exactly what he was trying to avoid. He knew she was tired, physically and mentally, way too tired to deal with anymore of this craziness for the time being. But knowing her as well as he did, he also knew that she wouldn't quit worrying long enough to get some sleep. He had to do something, so he reached over and gently touched her shoulder. 

Even though he knew that she might object, he sent a calming to her mind via the Force. Qui-Gon had used it often enough on their missions when the situation warranted it, and right now Sari needed to rest. Her eyes soon began to droop, and Obi-Wan caught her cup as it almost slipped out of her hand. 

"Whoa," she commented trying to shake it off, "I'm really tired all of a sudden. I think I'd better get to....." She never finished her sentence. She was sound asleep. Obi-Wan smiled to himself at his accomplishment. 

_//I'm better at that than I thought!//_ He started to stand but stopped, hovering over her sleeping form. How he had missed her! Not a day had gone by that he hadn't thought about her and what might have been. Now she was here, no matter what the reason was for her coming. Fate was giving him another chance, and he had to decide whether to take it or not. 

Tenderly, he traced the curve of her cheek and pushed a curl away from her face. Her skin felt smooth under his touch, and he breathed in the sweet scent of her before picking her up in his arms and taking her to his bedroom. She mumbled something incomprehensible and snuggled deeper into him, her breath tickling his neck. Then he suddenly had a vision of his future with her and of carrying her into his bed time after time. It sent a tingle all over his body. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down. 

It only took a minute or so to get her tucked in. Seeing her lying there, he couldn't help but remember that night when he had held her while she slept.... the night when he had left without saying goodbye. Now she was even more amazing to him than ever. The thought that her life was in danger and she had still traveled thousands of miles to warn him, ignited a fire of protectiveness within him, and he knew, whether or not they would ever have a relationship, he would stop at nothing to defend her life. He bent down and softly kissed her forehead. 

"Sweet dreams, my love," he whispered, and then he left. 

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	6. Chapter 6

Body For Better or Worse-- Chapter 6... 

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"Tell me about her." Anakin plopped down into his overstuffed chair, the most comfortable thing in his tiny dwelling, and looked expectantly at his master and friend. Obi-Wan Kenobi worked to arrange his makeshift bed on Anakin's couch, hoping to show that he didn't want to have this conversation. 

"I've already told you about her." 

Anakin's brow wrinkled. "No you haven't... not really. You've only told me what you want me to know." 

"Which is as it should be." 

"Oh, no! Not this time. I know there's more to you guys than you've told me, and now I want you to spill it all. Hey, I can handle it. I'm a big boy now." Obi-Wan chuckled at his padawan's manipulation and hoped that he would use his persuasive powers for the light side only. Still, the young master stayed silent in contemplation. 

"I mean, it's so obvious to anyone who looks at you two that you're nuts about each other. Even the council could tell." 

Obi-Wan snapped his head up and looked as if he'd just received the biggest shock of his life. "Yeah, they could tell, too, Obi-Wan, so you may as well tell me the whole story." 

Obi-Wan tried to play down his feelings and went back to folding his sheet. "There's really nothing to tell, Anakin. Sari is a wonderful person in every way. She cares about others and has a purpose in her life. She's intelligent, witty, brave----" 

"And pretty," Anakin added waiting for a reaction from his master. 

"Yes," Obi-Wan blushed, careful to avoid his padawan's gaze, "yes, she is.... very beautiful." 

"And you like her, and she likes you, so what's the problem? You're both adults, right?" 

"If only it were so simple," Obi sighed, "but it's not. I've made a vow to be a Jedi and to train you. It would be selfish to toss aside my responsibilities and leave a job unfinished." 

Anakin was surprisingly quiet, yet his master could see that he was organizing all of the information into something he was himself just beginning to understand. Life as a Jedi was simple, yet extremely complicated. 

"So then if you decided to have a relationship with Sari, would that mean that you couldn't train me anymore?" Anakin's emotions were conflicting. He desperately wanted Obi-Wan to finish training him to be a Jedi. However, in his heart, he wanted his friend to have a little happiness for himself. If the two couldn't go together, he wasn't sure which option he would prefer. 

"Most likely that would be the outcome." Obi-Wan looked at his padawan with love in his eyes. He could sense Anakin's feeling of injustice... or was that his own? 

"I don't understand why you would have to choose like that. It doesn't seem fair." 

"Fairness has nothing to do with it, Anakin.... nothing at all." 

Anakin sensed that his friend was finished talking for now, so he bid him goodnight and retired to his own bedroom. Somehow he felt like this was all his fault, and it was up to him to fix it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

She could *see* the light even with her eyes closed. Its warmth played across her face, teasing her to open her eyes, but she fought against it. Bed was so comfortable. She rolled over burrowing deeper into the pillow, immersing herself in its feel and smell--- the smell of---- HIM! 

Sari sat bolt upright, her heart pounding wildly, as she searched the room. She was in 'his' bed, and she didn't remember getting there. In fact, the last thing she remembered was sitting on the couch talking, drinking a cup of kaffe, and that was it. She quickly flung back the covers and heaved a sigh of relief..... she was still in her clothes from yesterday, so she hadn't done anything she couldn't remember. 

_//Too bad,//_ something in her muttered. "Whoa! Where did that come from?"__

__

__After getting a quick shower, she felt even better. She even found herself humming a little song as she combed out her hair and slipped on her clothes. Then she realized she was thinking about the dream she had dreamed overnight and got a bit embarrassed. Most certainly she could not stay here in his bed any longer than she had to. Being around him was .... unsettling to her heart. 

Opening the refresher door, she gasped in shock. 

"Good morning," Obi-Wan said with a smile while she tried to catch her breath. "Did I startle you?" His warm eyes looked blue this morning and the little cleft in his chin drew her gaze to his mouth... and then his lips. Visions of her dream popped back into her mind, and she felt herself begin to heat up. 

"Why whatever gave you that idea?" she replied with a nonchalant grin as she pushed past him into the bedroom. 

"How did you sleep?" he questioned. //Better than me, I hope.// His night had been filled with dreams-- some good and some not so good. 

"Like a baby. It's the best I've slept in quite some time." She paused from making the bed and glanced over at him. "Thank you for 'whatever' you did. I needed it." 

"Me?" he feigned surprise as he moved to the other side to offer a hand with the housekeeping. "I didn't..... well, okay, maybe just a little..." he drifted off knowing he'd been found out. He tried to change the subject. "Can I interest you in a tour of the temple? It's quite impressive..... and educational," he added with a mocking regal tone. 

"Well, then, as a professional educator, how could I refuse such a wonderful learning experience?" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

They started in the dining hall where he gave her a behind the scenes look at the kitchen facilities, and they picked up a few snacks to go. Many of the Jedi were pitching in and helping with the work. Then they roamed through the housing wings where all of the Jedi lived. Next it was on to the classrooms. Sari's eyes lit up when she saw the young children, and Obi knew she must have been missing her own students tremendously. For a teacher to be denied the opportunity to teach was like taking the Force away from a Jedi..... almost criminal. Maybe he could do something about that. 

Next he showed her the meditation chambers and physical training rooms where many pairs of Jedi were practicing with their sabers and doing other exercises to strengthen their bodies. After that, they moved on to the creche, or nursery as Sari called it. This was where infant and toddler Jedi were cared for until old enough to begin more organized schooling and training. 

"Some of them are so little," Sari exclaimed, her face pressed against the glass. "It seems kind of sad that they're taken away from their families when they are so young. I don't think I could ever give my child up, Force powers or no. I just couldn't do it." 

Obi-Wan studied her as she continued to look into the main creche room. Her bottom lip began to quiver, and a tear streamed down her face. He reached out to wipe it away, and this time she didn't flinch at his touch. 

_//How could his mother have given him up?//_ she wondered as she gazed into those eyes. 

"We do what we must," he stated softly. Then he turned and began walking away. "Come with me. We're not finished with the grand tour yet." He offered his arm and she willingly accepted. "There are still a couple of places I want you to see." 

The minute the door swished open, Sari felt right at home. Inside this room were thousands upon thousands of ancient books, datacards, and various memory crystals that held countless centuries of knowledge and literature from hundreds of cultures. It took her breath away. 

"A library.....This is amazing!" she finally declared. 

"I thought you might like it," Obi-Wan added, quite pleased with himself. "One could spend his whole life reading all that is housed here, and not even come close to scratching the surface of all the knowledge it contains. It is quite humbling." 

"Yes, it is," Sari agreed, already perusing whatever was within reach. "You know, I love books. I always have. My brothers used to make fun of me for reading so much, but didn't care. I learned so much that way." Obi-Wan watched her in wonder as she seemed to disappear into her own little world. He was happy to be able to offer her this gift. 

"You know, you may use the library any time you wish for as long as you're here." 

She set down the holocron she had been studying and glanced over at the handsome Jedi. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. I appreciate that very much. You certainly do know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" she joked. By the look on his face, she could tell that he didn't quite take it that way. 

"Sari, I never meant it to be a bribe of any kind. I only---"  
  
"I was only kidding!" she laughed. Obi-Wan loved the sound of her laughter. It was like the sweetest music he had ever heard... feminine, but contagious at the same time. And the fact that she laughed often even in the midst of discouraging times spoke to his soul and he couldn't help but laugh, too. 

"Now what about this last place you were going to show me? Not that anything could top this," she said motioning around with her arms. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Okay, now close your eyes and don't open them until I say to." 

Sari giggled at Obi-Wan's playfulness. "Alright." 

She had seen the huge door right in front of them, but had no idea what might lie behind it. He took her hand and began leading her slowly forward making sure she wouldn't trip. The swooshing sound of the door sounded in Sari's ears, and as soon as she took a few more steps in, she could feel a fine mist moistening the air all around them. 

"Obi-Wan, I'm getting wet!" she declared, wrinkling her nose, forcing her eyes to stay closed. 

"Just a few... more.... steps and then.... there! Okay. Open your eyes." 

Sari opened her eyes and softly gasped. They were standing in the middle of a huge room that was filled wall to wall with hundreds and hundreds of lovely water fountains of every shape, size, and style. Plants and trees of just as many varieties were growing everywhere she looked, and for a moment she forgot she was inside a building on a world that had no natural habitat left to speak of. 

"What is this place?" she finally asked in awe. 

"This is the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Do you like it?" he inquired. He hoped she liked it. It was one of his favorite places in the galaxy. 

"I love it! It's beautiful!" 

"I thought you might. It's even more lovely at night when it's all lit up with lights of every color you can imagine." He sighed deeply as Sari studied his face. 

"Would you bring me back to see it one evening?" she asked before thinking. //What are you doing, Sari?!// she scolded herself. //Making dates is not going to help the situation.// He looked at her and smiled. 

"I would love to," he replied. Although neither had mentioned a word about their 'situation', he could feel that something was happening again. She was irresistible to him. 

He held out his arm once more and they strolled all throughout the magnificent room. Sari hadn't noticed until they started walking that they were not the only ones there. Some Jedi were sitting quietly by the pools of water deep in meditation. Others were studying the plants, and some were just walking and relaxing like Sari and her Jedi escort. Everyone they passed greeted them, bowing to Obi-Wan, and he bowed back. They all seemed to sincerely respect Obi-Wan, Sari noticed, and she felt herself puff up with pride to be with him. 

After about an hour more of talking and walking through the temple, they headed back to his quarters, her arm still wrapped around his. The conversation made sure to steer clear of anything 'touchy', so they mostly made small talk. However, it didn't make much of a difference what they talked about. She could already feel herself falling for him all over again, not that it was unexpected. She had never really gotten over him the first time. Right now she didn't want to worry about the future; she just wanted to enjoy the moment. 

Obi-Wan's comm link beeped, and he stopped to answer it with his free hand, his other hand slipping into Sari's. Without thinking, she squeezed it firmly, not wanting to let go. 

"Master, there's someone waiting to see you back at your room... a Miss Lon from the prosecutor's office." 

Obi-Wan's face knitted into a frown. "Thank you, Anakin. I'm on my way back right now." His hand dropped from Sari's, and the spell was broken. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	7. Chapter 7

Body For Better or Worse-- Chapter 7... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

He was staring at her. She could feel his gaze upon her back and had to grin. 

"So, Jedi Skywalker, what kind of exciting missions have you been on lately?" she asked as she sat down gracefully on a chair and crossed her long, lean legs. Teenage boys were the easiest. 

Anakin swallowed hard and sat down on the couch across from her. She was probably the most attractive woman he had ever seen, and something in him wanted desperately to impress her and prove that he was much more mature than his sixteen years. 

"Well, a few months ago, I was assigned to solve a territorial dispute on the planet Kuutaan---" 

"Did Jedi Kenobi accompany you?" she interrupted. Anakin frowned. 

_//Why did she want to know that?// _"Yeah, he was there. We're kind of a team." 

"Of course. Now you didn't go with him on the mission to Teemar, though, right? And why was that?" She leaned up onto the edge of her seat, her long golden hair falling softly in front of her shoulders making her look like a goddess. 

"No. I didn't go with him that time. I guess the council figured we needed a break from each other." 

"Of course," she said with another phony smile. "Has he told you much about that mission, since you were unable to go with him?" 

Anakin suddenly got a funny feeling about this conversation. Something was telling him--- no--- warning him to be careful around this woman. He proceeded with caution now. 

"Not a whole lot, no. Why?" he looked at her with a raised eyebrow of suspicion. 

"Just making conversation," she replied. She smiled a warm smile, and as he looked at her she seemed to change. He knew it was only in his head, but suddenly she had become a snake with beady, red eyes and a look of evil anticipation on her face. With a shake of his head, she returned to her usual form, but he couldn't get that vision out of his mind.__

__

__Luckily, Obi-Wan returned just then, and Anakin didn't have to continue the conversation with Adara Lon.__

__

__"Hello," he greeted from his entryway. Adara jumped up from the chair, her typical dazzling smile etched on her face. However, the grin turned into a look of utter surprise once she noticed that the Jedi wasn't alone. "Miss Lon," he began, "allow me to introduce Miss Sari Zendar." 

Adara cleared her throat before reaching out to shake Sari's hand. "It's so nice to finally meet you, Miss Zendar. And it's a relief to see that you are no longer... missing." 

Sari kindly offered her hand in return, neither woman noticing the looks or thoughts passing between the two Jedi. 

_//What's going on?//_ Anakin questioned his master through the Force. 

_//I'm not sure, but I don't think it's good.//_

__

__The group moved back into the living room area and sat down. Adara Lon was definitely caught off guard, Obi-Wan noticed, which satisfied him deeply for some odd reason. However, she didn't miss a beat. 

"Well, I must say that I am quite surprised to see you here, Miss Zendar. Only yesterday Jedi Kenobi informed me that he had no idea where you were. Isn't that right, Jedi Kenobi?" She looked innocently from Sari to Obi-Wan. 

"That is correct. However, upon my return to the temple last evening, I found that she had arrived here in my absence." Obi-Wan studied the woman and could sense her desperation to gain control of the situation. "I suppose that her arrival here will help to solidify your case against Gustaf Perrin. I'm sure that makes you happy, Miss Lon." 

Anakin noted the almost imperceptible slant in her eyes as she spoke. "Why yes! This is a most welcome occurrence for my case... most welcome indeed." Again, the vision of a sly snake popped into the padawan's mind, sending a chill down his spine. Her amazing outward beauty could not hide the ugliness inside. She was up to no good, he just knew it.__

_~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~_

__

__Adara couldn't wait to get home and contact Chancellor Palpatine. There would be no snide remarks from him this time. News that Sari Zendar was right under his nose would be certain to please him and push her own standing with him to an even higher level. 

"Chancellor," she began as soon as his image materialized before her, "I have wonderful news for you tonight!" She could hardly wait. 

"Better than last night, I hope," he spat. 

"Yes," she thought with contempt for the aged being before her. "I think you will be quite pleased." 

"Proceed." 

"It appears the fly has flown right into our trap without us having to lift a finger." She was quite proud of herself. 

"Stop speaking in riddles and spit it out, Miss Lon. I don't have time to play games. I'm a busy man." 

"All right then... Sari Zendar is here, on Coruscant." She grinned a self-satisfied smirk and waited for his praise. He straightened in his high-backed seat and looked only a little surprised. 

"Yes... it is all working out the way I had planned." Now he seemed to drift off to some other dimension as if he was seeing some larger picture of the future. 

//The way he had planned?!// Adara thought. //How could he have known she would come here? No one has that ability.// 

He continued. "Well, I assume you know what to do next." 

Adara thought for a moment and then spoke. There was really only one thing to say. "Yes, my lord. I will get the job done." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 


	8. Chapter 8

Body For Better or Worse-- Chapter 8.. 

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he day's tour of the temple with Obi-Wan had been wonderful. Even though they hadn't mentioned their relationship, Sari had felt their bond emerging again. _//Or is it_ _just my imagination?//_ she wondered. She huffed. It seemed she was 'wondering' a lot lately, not really having the courage to find out the facts. Maybe it was because she was afraid of what the 'facts' would reveal. 

Sari found herself tidying up the bedroom even though it wasn't necessary. She refolded several of Obi-Wan's tunics two or three times-- she lost count-- and tried to get her mind off of the 'perfect' woman she had met earlier that evening. 

Next to Adara Lon, Sari felt like a hopeless, little ragamuffin. The two women were physically like two ends of the female spectrum. Adara was majestically tall and perfectly thin, while Sari was short, stubby, and -- in her own opinion-- too curvy. It was as if Adara Lon had been genetically engineered based upon the desires of most of the men in the known universe. Sari felt so plain and ordinary. Certainly Obi-Wan had noticed the vast difference. What man wouldn't? 

"Dinner?! I have to have dinner with this woman?!" she exclaimed to herself. 

To give her something to really look forward to, Adara had invited them all to dinner, though Sari sensed the woman would have preferred a private rendezvous for two with Obi-Wan. Adara wanted to have a kind of pretrial celebration due to Sari's unexpected arrival which would certainly help win the case against Perrin. The rotten part was that Adara automatically assumed that Obi-Wan would be her own escort. Anakin and Sari were to meet them later in the evening at the restaurant, which was of course one of Coruscant's finest and most expensive, because she needed to meet with Obi-Wan..... all day. 

//Yippee,// Sari thought sarcastically. //I can't wait.// 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"...and don't let her out of your sight, do you understand?" Obi-Wan glared at his padawan with a look of the utmost seriousness on his face. 

"Yes, I understand. Don't you trust me?" Anakin replied. He had been listening to his master's list of do's and don'ts for the past ten minutes, and his head was whirling trying to remember it all. 

"I do trust you, Anakin, it's just---" Obi drifted off and stared into space. 

"Just what?" 

"It's just that I don't feel right about leaving her all day. I... I don't _want_ to leave her at all." 

Anakin's brow rose in interest at his friend's unintended revelation of feelings. "Have you told **_her_** that?" the boy asked bravely. 

"Told her what?" 

"Told her how you feel about her? She's been here for almost two days now. Have you two talked about things?" 

"What things?" the older man questioned, trying to sound oblivious. 

Anakin groaned. "You've got to be kidding me!" 

Obi-Wan grinned. "No...no we haven't talked about 'things'. In fact," he looked away again, "I'm not sure there are 'things' for us to talk about." 

Another groan came from Anakin as he slumped onto the couch shaking his head. "You know, for someone who is supposedly wise in the ways of the galaxy, you sure don't know much about women." 

"And you do?!" Obi stated defensively. 

"Well, apparently more than you do.... Master," he added so as not to sound too disrespectful. "Why do you really think she came here, Obi-Wan? Look, if she didn't still have feelings for you, she wouldn't have come all this way over thousands of miles, by herself, to a place she's never been before. It would have been much easier for her to just send a message." He paused for a moment before continuing, looking straight into his friend's eyes. "Trust me..... you two definitely have 'things' to talk about." 

Obi-Wan was speechless. Anakin actually made absolute sense. The padawan could see his master trying to digest all he had said and decided to wrap it up and go to bed. 

"Rest assured, I'll guard her life as if it were my own. I know how much she means to you. Don't you think you should let her know? Goodnight, Master." 

Anakin retired to his bedroom leaving Obi-Wan alone with his own thoughts. 

_//Did I teach him all that?//_ he chuckled. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Night on Coruscant. 

As long as one remained on the upper echelons of the planet, he would have nothing to worry about. However, darkness being the cloak worn by evil, the lower levels could prove to be quite dangerous--even deadly-- for someone not packing heat in some form or another. 

It was on one of these lower levels that Adara Lon waited impatiently in a seamy, out-of-the-way cafe for her 12 o'clock 'appointment'. Surveying her surroundings, she shivered in disgust at the various 'dirty' aliens that were at her every turn. As soon as she got home, the first thing she would do was take a hot shower. Instinctively, her hand slid inside her jacket to reassure herself that her blaster was still in place. 

"Miss Lon?" 

The voice startled her, and she almost drew her blaster. Glancing up she was relieved to find a human male. "Yes," she replied, slipping easily into her 'beautiful woman' act. 

_//Wow!//_ he thought to himself as he stared at the woman seated in the booth in front of him. 

"Please, sit down," she motioned as she flipped her golden hair back over her shoulder. It didn't take long for her to realize that he was already wrapped around her little finger. 

Without taking his eyes off of her, the young man clumsily slid into the booth across from her. After a few moments of silence, Adara grinned and spoke. 

"Aren't you going to ask me what I want, Mr...... what is your name?" she asked coyly, batting her eyelashes. 

Finally realizing what a fool he looked like, the man answered. "Oh!... um, my friends just call me Deek." He tried to appear calm and collected by leaning back and placing his hands behind his head. 

"Well, then, can I assume that I'm a friend.... _Deek_?" 

"Sure!" Deek replied a little too eagerly. 

"Okay, Deek. Let me get right down to business, if I may. I've been told that you might be looking for some work." 

"Yeah, that's right. What do you got for me?" Adara chuckled to herself at his poor attempt at toughness. 

"I understand you are acquainted with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Sari Zendar by a previous incident on Teemar. Is that right?" Adara waited for acknowledgment in his face, and it finally came along with a snarl and a frown. 

"Yeah, I know 'em." 

"Good. This is what I want you to do." Adara leaned forward, grabbing his hands, and revealed her plan. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_* More to come!....._

__


	9. Chapter 9

Body For Better or Worse... 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Morning for Sari came with less joyous anticipation than the day before. There would be no stroll through the temple on Obi-Wan's arm today..... no special moments spent in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. No, today would be spent apart from him, until, of course, dinner with the galaxy's sexiest woman. 

Things had been much simpler when she and Obi-Wan Kenobi had been alone together on Teemar. Now, here on Coruscant, he had so many distractions that she was beginning to fear the certainty that there was no place in his life for her. 

//You knew that, Sari,// she told herself. //Why do you think he left in the first place? You shouldn't have come.// 

Tired of feeling sorry for herself, Sari heaved a big sigh and drug herself out of bed.... HIS bed. //NO! I am not going to think about him today,// she determined. Then she grabbed some clean clothes and headed to the refresher. 

Soon after she had finished getting ready for the day, Anakin popped in to inform her that he had a few morning classes. He suggested she stay in the temple until he was finished. 

"Sure," she agreed. "I might just go down to the library or the children's wing for a while." 

Anakin could tell she was in a rather somber mood and was sure he knew why. It had to be his master. The boy had been hopeful that Sari's arrival would spark a change in Obi-Wan who had been withdrawn and detached since his return from Teemar. He just wasn't himself. And now that she was here, his master seemed more on edge than ever. 

Too many times Anakin had felt a failure next to Obi-Wan's unflappable devotion to the Jedi way. His friend seemed to always be in control of everything, that at times he seemed almost unreal--- more like a programmed droid following his every given command than a human with his own free will and desires. 

Perhaps that was what bothered Anakin the most..... that he often felt stifled or smothered by the expectations of the council. Many times he felt so many emotions warring within him, while Obi-Wan seemed unwavering and unaffected by anything that came his way. Then Anakin would feel guilty, like he was a disappointment as a Jedi despite his title of the 'Chosen one.' 

However, Obi-Wan had never once belittled his padawan for having emotions and occasionally losing control. The older Jedi only tried to guide Anakin in the ways of controlling those emotions so they did not gain the upper hand. While Obi-Wan was confident of his own abilities --- he was well on his way to being regarded as the top knight in the order aside from the council-- he never tried to compete with Anakin or put on arrogant airs. Obi-Wan Kenobi was one of the most humble, most selfless people Anakin had ever met. 

Which is why Anakin now felt so responsible for his master's happiness. All these years of unquestioning devotion and then Obi had found something with someone outside of the order. Unfortunately, he was feeling torn between duty and his own heart's desires. Anakin couldn't bear to see such an injustice continue. 

"Sari, can I ask you a question?" 

She blinked in surprise and replied, "Sure, I .... I guess so." 

"How do you feel about Obi-Wan?" He needed to know. 

Sari felt her face heat up instantly. "I, uh, I care about him a, uh, a great deal, Anakin." She avoided his eyes, but he could tell from those few words and the actions that followed that she more than just 'cared' about Obi-Wan. He had noticed her hand move immediately to a delicate chain that hung around her neck and begin to gently rub the iridescent stone that was attached. Sensing her unspoken plea to be asked no more questions, Anakin smiled kindly. 

"Okay, well, I'm going to get to class, now. I should be back by lunch time. See ya!" 

Sari waved good-bye and grinned. He was such a kind boy and someone would be very lucky to snag him someday--- if he allowed himself that opportunity in life. Now if only Obi-Wan would do the same. Stopping herself from dwelling on him any longer, she left his room and headed for the library. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The first hour or so of the morning, Sari had spent in the Jedi library. After taking a little time to browse the whole room, she finally decided to read up on some current events posted on the holonet archives. There she found some articles about Gustaf Perrin's arrest and his upcoming trial which only led her to thoughts of a certain Jedi once again. 

//I've got to stop this!// she scolded herself. 

Next, she needed a change in atmosphere, so she headed for the children's wing hoping to find something to occupy her time and relieve some of the homesickness she was starting to feel. Luckily, she found what she was looking for. Walking down one of the corridors filled with classrooms, she was approached by a tall, dark skinned Jedi who recognized her from her first evening in the dining hall. 

"Hello," the woman greeted with a friendly smile as she stepped out of one of the classrooms. 

"Hello," Sari replied. 

"You're Sari Zendar, right? A friend of Obi-Wan Kenobi?" A multitude of little faces were now curiously peeking out of the doorway. 

"Word must get around fast in this place," Sari commented with a chuckle. "Yes, yes I am. It's nice to meet you." She held out her hand and the Jedi eagerly shook it. 

"I am Say'la Offett. Are you busy right now? We would love to have you come in and spend some time with us. It's not very often my students get to meet people from off Coruscant." 

An open invitation into a classroom? How could the teacher in her resist? 

"I would love to spend time with you." 

Twenty little faces lit up with huge smiles as they cleared the way to let their visitor enter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Anakin could tell even before he opened the door that she wasn't inside. However, he wasn't distressed. She had told him where she would be, so he would wait for her. No problem. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

How long had he been here? Four hours? It felt more like an eternity. 

Obi-Wan grabbed the back of his neck and began rubbing away the ache that was rapidly forming there. This meeting had proven to be pointless as far as he was concerned. Adara Lon had kept him there asking him most of the same questions as before only this time she was writing down his responses word for word... by hand. He didn't quite understand her, and didn't really want to. Something about her gave him a bad feeling, and the less contact he had with her, the better. What he wouldn't give to have a reason to leave. 

"Well, why don't we take a break, Obi-Wan..... Can I call you Obi-Wan?" she asked with a flirtatious smile. He was not effected in the least. 

"If you like," he replied flatly. "A break would be nice. I need to check in at the temple." 

"Sure. Use my holograph. I'll just step out for a moment to give you some privacy." 

Why was he totally ignoring all of her 'advances?' All morning long she had given him plenty of hints at her interest in him. A lingering look here or there, a slight touch on his hand or arm.... any other man would have already been putty in her hands, but not him. Was it just because he was a Jedi? She didn't think so, but she refused to think that he just wasn't interested at all. How could he not be? Surely that teacher couldn't be the reason. Could she? Unless she could sway him, this job might not work out like she had planned. 

Obi-Wan dialed Anakin's personal comm frequency and the boy answered quickly. 

"Yeah, Skywalker here." 

"Anakin, it's me. How are things going?" 

"They're just fine, Master. How about there? What exactly have you been doing all morning? That lady freaks me out!" 

"Yes, well, I can't say that it's been overly productive. How's Sari?" 

"Okay, I guess." 

"You guess?! What do you mean you 'guess'?! Where is she?!" Obi-Wan was beginning to feel very frustrated with his padawan. 

"Calm down," Anakin offered calmly. "She said she was going to the library or to see some of the classrooms. I'm sure that's where she is." 

"Anakin, I left very precise instructions that you were to guard her with your life. Now she's gone and you're not sure where she is?!" He suddenly had a great thought. "I'm coming back there right now." 

Anakin was insulted. "That's really not necessary, Obi-Wan. I'll just go get her." 

"No," Obi-Wan stated firmly. "I'll be there in just a few minutes." Then he ended the conversation and flipped off the comm unit. A silly little grin spread across his face without him even realizing it. 

"Is everything okay?" Adara asked from the door. 

Obi-Wan quickly regained his composure and stood to face her. "I'm afraid I'm needed back at the temple. I'll contact you later to reschedule the rest of our meeting." He bowed briefly with a nod of his head and left the office, trying desperately not to run. Maybe the day wouldn't be a total loss. Although he was certain Sari was just fine, this had been his opportunity to break free from Adara Lon's 'prison' and move on to more enjoyable company. 

Ahh, Sari..... He couldn't believe how happy he felt with her here.... and how utterly confused. She stirred feelings in him that he had never even known he could have for a woman. Perhaps it wasn't right to feel like he did since he was a Jedi, but he couldn't help himself. He was still absolutely crazy about her, and couldn't wait to see her again... to hold her ..... to kiss her. Just being near her made him feel alive. He had to get to her. 

His pace increased as he headed for the public transport, and this time he didn't even care when it stopped to let on more passengers. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"What was it like to fight those bad guys?" 

Sari stifled a chuckle at the young boy's innocent question. The innocence of youth was always refreshing. For the past forty-five minutes she had been sharing about life on Teemar, but within the last few minutes the questions had changed to ones about the kidnapping incident. 

"Well, I didn't really fight the bad guys. That was mostly Jedi Kenobi." 

Another hand shot into the air. 

"I know him. He came and talked to our class before. He was really nice." 

"Yeah," several other voices chimed in. 

'Yes, Jedi Kenobi is a very nice man," Sari agreed, "and a very good Jedi. Without him, my students might never have been found." 

"I'll bet you would have been sad, huh?" asked a sweet little girl from the back. 

"Yes, I would have been very sad. I care about my students very much, just as I'm sure Jedi Offett cares about each of you." This was just what she needed.... kids. 

"You were awful lucky that Jedi Kenobi came to help, right?" 

"Yes, very lucky." Sari's mind drifted to thoughts of Obi-Wan and their few 'moments' together. Despite the situation now, she was glad he had come into her life. 

"Would you tell us about the kid that hit the one man in the head again?" A pudgy little red-haired boy piped up from the last row. 

"Sure," Sari grinned before launching into her storytelling mode once more. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Obi-Wan leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath. She was a marvel, and if he played his cards right, she might be 'his' marvel. 

He had returned to the temple with a goal in mind, made his way to the library, and had ended up here outside of Jedi Offett's classroom. Sari's voice had reached him as he was walking by the open door, and when he peeked in, he had found her regaling the students with the tale of her adventure. 

Then she had been asked about him, and she had admitted how lucky she was to have met him. He could sense her sincerity, and it made his heart skip a beat. He had to talk to her.... had to hold her..... now. 

_*Knock, knock*_

Everyone stopped and turned to the doorway. There stood Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight, looking sheepishly back at them. "May I come in? I don't mean to intrude, Jedi Offett." 

"Oh, no, please come in." 

"We were just talking about you, Jedi Kenobi," Sari commented. 

He entered the room and offered a worried look at the students. "All good stuff, I hope." 

"Of course, Jedi Kenobi," Sari answered. "Is there anything but 'good stuff' about you?" 

The students giggled. They were enjoying the interplay between the two. 

"No! No! Of course not. It's all good." With that, he turned back to the class and offered an exaggerated wink to draw them into his secret. More giggles erupted, especially from the girls who looked adoringly at the handsome, mature Jedi. 

But back to the matter at hand, he thought. 

"I hate to do this to you all, but I must take Miss Zendar away from you for now. She's needed elsewhere." He immediately started herding her toward the door. 

Sari looked at him in surprise. What was he talking about? Was something wrong? He seemed determined to get her out in a hurry, so she didn't resist. Instead she thanked the class for allowing her to share and waved a quick good-bye. 

Once in the hall, Obi-Wan grabbed her hand and took off down the corridor searching all around--- for what, Sari had no clue. And he didn't look like he wanted to be bothered with questions either, so she stayed quiet and just let him lead the way. 

Finally, they turned off into a dark, secluded hallway and stopped. Obi-Wan's breathing was heavy as he let go of her hand and backed her up against a wall. His gaze locked onto her eyes as he got closer and closer until their bodies were lightly pressed against one another. 

"Wha--- what are you---?" Sari tried to ask, but Obi-Wan shook his head from side to side and put his finger up to her lips to silence her. His hand tenderly moved to cup her face, and then he gently pressed a kiss to her lips, lingering to taste and feel the warmth of her soft mouth. He could feel her tense up at first, but then she quickly began to melt into him urging him to kiss her longer and more passionately. 

Suddenly, her hands were on his chest...... pushing him away. Confused, he looked at her and saw that she was beginning to cry. "Don't," she whispered, fighting back the tears. 

"Sari, I ---," She quickly put her hand to his mouth to quiet him. He looked as confused as she felt. There was so much that needed to be said. Should she say it now? 

"When I woke up that day," she finally began, "and you weren't there, and all you had left was a letter, I was heartbroken...... and angry!... but mostly heartbroken. You had offered to take me with you, but then, just like that you were gone.' 

Obi-Wan hung his head in shame. Not a day had passed since then that he hadn't regretted leaving her that way. 

"You know," she chuckled, wiping a tear, "I kept that stupid letter in my purse and read it everyday...... EVERYDAY... like some silly teenager." Now her tone changed. "But I'm not a teenager. I'm a woman.... a woman who wants to live life and make plans for my future." 

She stopped talking then, and Obi-Wan was standing there, that same Jedi frown on his face, not saying a word. 

"Do you understand how I feel?" she finally asked, determined to get a reaction out of him. 

"I thought I meant something to you. Do I?" The tears were flowing again as she looked desperately into his blue eyes. 

Then he answered her, not in words, but with another kiss, even more passion-filled than before. He tried with all his being to make her realize how much she meant to him and always would. She must have gotten the message because it wasn't long before she was responding to him quite eagerly, both of them heating up with the contact. 

"Ahem," came an unexpected voice. 

Sari and Obi-Wan immediately ceased their display of affection and untangled themselves from each other's arms. Standing at the head of the hallway was Obi-Wan's smiling padawan, leaning nonchalantly against the wall with his arms crossed. 

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan said, avoiding the boy's gaze. 

"I got worried and came looking for you two. Jedi Offett sent me down this way, but from the looks of things, Master, I'd say you have everything well under control, as usual." Anakin winked slyly. "So, I'm just going to go back to my room since I'm not needed." Then he offered a nod and a grin before taking off down the corridor. Maybe his master wasn't as hopeless as he thought. 


	10. Chapter 10

Body For Better or Worse-- 

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Even as she walked silently down the corridor next to Obi-Wan, Sari's heart was beating wildly in her chest, her lips still warm and tingling from the touch of Obi-Wan's mouth on hers. Their kiss had been absolutely electric, sparking every neuron in her body to life. Her mind was working fast and furious to comprehend the meaning of what had just happened. Her spirit was soaring after two long, torturous months of being stuck in emotional limbo. Now she knew how he felt, but..... what next? 

Neither spoke a word as they walked, but Sari knew they were headed back to his quarters. Every few steps, he would glance over at her with a small smile and brush his fingers across her hand. She couldn't help but feel a silly grin spread across her own face each time he flashed her those twinkling eyes. Several passersby cast curious looks at them. Sari assumed they weren't used to seeing another Jedi smile so much. She chuckled to herself. 

Obi-Wan could feel his blood coursing through his veins just knowing that Sari was next to him. It had been such a release to finally let his penned up feelings be known. Even if no actual words had been spoken, he was pretty sure that Sari had gotten the message. However, being found by Anakin had been..... awkward. He always tried to be a perfect example for his padawan, and now it would be difficult to look the boy in the eye. 

These raging emotions were new to Obi-Wan Kenobi, and he wasn't quite sure what to do next. Out of habit, he was headed back to his apartment, but what would happen when they got there? A few images popped into his mind, but he tried to shake them off with a Force brush that was the equivalent of a cold shower. 

It didn't work. 

He looked over at Sari for the hundredth time. She took his breath away... so genuinely beautiful on the inside and outside that he could scarce believe she was real and there with him. Her wavy, brown hair softly framed her delicate face that was flushed pink from ..... him?, he wondered. _//I like that,//_ he proudly admitted to himself. He had spent so many years concerned only with being a devoted Jedi that realizing he could have such a pleasant effect on a woman was a welcome discovery. 

Suddenly, there it was.... the door to his quarters. Both stopped dead in their tracks and swallowed hard. After a few seconds of silence, Obi- Wan spoke. 

"Well, here we are." He hoped desperately that she couldn't sense how nervous he was. 

"Yeah.... we're here all right," she replied taking a deep breath and shifting her gaze from him back to the door. Using the utmost care, he pushed the button, and the door swished quickly open causing them both to jump. 

"After you." He stood aside and let her enter first. 

Sari didn't think it was possible for her heart to beat any faster, but it did. Could he hear it? 

Obi-Wan stepped in behind her and they both turned to face one another. He gazed down into her big, blue eyes and felt himself falling deeper and deeper. _//Patience,_ _Obi-Wan,//_ he muttered in his mind. Without even using any Jedi mind tricks, he could tell that she was eagerly anticipating his next move. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he slowly raised his hand and tenderly caressed her face with the back of his hand. She gasped softly and trembled beneath his touch. Then he smoothly lowered his mouth to her waiting lips and kissed her deeply, sending as much pleasure to her via the Force as he could. 

It worked. Sari unknowingly let slip a little moan of ecstasy which drove Obi-Wan to further distraction and urged him to pull her snugly to him. Her arms instinctively wrapped around his neck, and she began running her fingers through his hair, all the while lavishing kisses upon his strong, warm mouth. Had anyone ever experienced something as wonderful as this?, she wondered. 

What was she doing to him? He had never in his life felt something so.... so.... so sensual, and he liked it-- a lot! Without thinking, he began moving her toward the couch, making sure not to separate himself from her lips in the process. She quickly got the message and backed up until she reached the sofa and eased herself down, Obi-Wan still attached to her face. 

Now seated, Sari moved in closer until she was practically sitting in his lap. Finally, out of breath, she forced herself away from him, albeit unwillingly. Obi-Wan, too, was struggling to regain some semblance of composure. Never before had he felt so out of control of himself and his actions. By the Force! It was amazing! 

Staring into Sari's sparkling eyes, he felt the urge to reach out and take her in his arms again, but, sensing her apprehension, he somehow managed to restrain himself. He was moving too fast. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered breathlessly. Sari shot him a surprised look. 

"Don't be sorry," she replied gently touching his hand and giving a reassuring smile. "I'm not." 

_Bzzzzz! Bzzzzz!_

Nearly jumping a few feet in the air from the startling sound, Sari threw her hand over her heart and tried to calm her racing heart. Obi-Wan chuckled and rose from the couch. 

"The door," he added moving to open it. Anakin peeked inside as if to check to see if the 'coast was clear.' With a mischievous grin he stepped in looking quite smug. Sari felt as if the boy could tell what had been transpiring just moments before, and quickly turned away from his gaze as her hand moved to her mouth. Only now did she notice how warm and slightly raw her lips felt, and then she realized it had to have been from Obi-Wan's tender assault.....and beard. How long had they been alone together? Her sense of time had fled as soon as he had touched her. 

Anakin cleared his throat dramatically. "Are you two ready?" They looked at him oblivious to anything but what had just happened between them. "For dinner with Miss Lon?" he explained. 

"Oh, of course," Obi-Wan finally muttered. "I had forgotten." 

Anakin couldn't resist. "Well, you had... 'other things' on your mind, Master." He gave his old friend a sly wink and a pat on the back. Obi-Wan stood speechless, and Sari felt her face heat up from embarrassment. "I'll be in my room when you're ready," the boy added, and then he was gone. 

Sari jumped up from the sofa and started back to the refresher. "I'll... just.... go get changed," she said, trying to avoid Obi-Wan's eyes. He watched her leave and couldn't help but heave a deep sigh of contentment and grin from ear to ear like a fool. 

He was in love. 


	11. Chapter 11

Body For Better or Worse-- Ch.11.... 

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The trio made their way through the crowded nighttime streets of Coruscant to the posh restaurant where Adara Lon would be waiting. Anakin was the only one who had been talking since they left the temple. Sari chuckled under her breath. She didn't know who was more nervous between them--- her at the thought of spending the evening with a woman who apparently wanted the same thing she did... Obi-Wan, or Anakin at having to figure out how to handle his master's new relationship. She could tell Obi-Wan was also a bit uneasy but wasn't sure exactly why. 

Sari knew that Adara Lon was expecting Obi-Wan to be her own escort, not Sari's. She couldn't help but wonder how he would handle the situation. It was apparent that she was a woman used to getting what she wanted. The fluttering anxiousness in Sari's stomach kept growing until she thought she might throw up. 

Obi-Wan came to a halt on the sidewalk and took Sari's small hand in his larger one. With that one small touch he was certain about the nervousness he sensed coming from her. She was like an open book to him and he longed to read more of her 'pages'. 

Anakin, however, was still walking and talking, oblivious to the fact that he was now continuing on alone. Obi-Wan snickered as he watched his padawan receive strange looks from several passersby. "He has no idea we've stopped." Then he turned his attention back to the beautiful woman at his side. "Are you all right, Sari?" 

_*How did he do that?*,_ she thought. He always seemed to sense when she was struggling with something in her mind... or heart. "I'm.... I'm okay," she replied lamely, taking a deep breath and offering a weak smile. Obi-Wan gazed into her eyes and knew all was not well. 

"I don't believe you," he stated flatly. She bristled at his claim. "You know," he said stepping closer to her and lowering his face to hers, "it's near impossible to successfully lie to a Jedi." He gently brushed her cheek with his hand and smiled as it brought a slight flush to her face. Sari grinned at his teasing. 

"Is that so?" she asked mockingly feigning disinterest. 

"Yes, it is," he answered, pulling her hand to his lips for a quick kiss. Never before this woman had he felt such a desire to be near someone, to touch someone. "Especially when the Jedi is focusing all of his energy and attentions on his chosen _target_." His hungry hazel eyes lingered on her soft face, and she could feel more than her face heating up under his sensual scrutiny. 

"Is that what you're doing?" she whispered. "_Targeting_ me?" She had to admit, the idea of being his sole focus was quite satisfying. 

"Who else is there?" he replied, sincerely oblivious himself to the throngs of people on the streets around them. To him, there was only Sari that existed in his world at this moment. 

"Maybe Adara Lon?" she ventured, wishing she hadn't as soon as the words left her mouth. 

"What?" Obi-Wan said, startled, his brow wrinkling into a frown. Sari pulled her hand out of his and looked away. 

"Oh, never mind." 

It took a few seconds for Obi-Wan to comprehend what she had said and why she had said it. A sly grin spread across his face, and he cupped Sari's chin in his hand forcing her to look at him. "Sari Zendar--- are you jealous?" He had seen her like this once before in a certain alley and had thoroughly enjoyed the outcome. Sari knew it was useless to lie, so she simply stared at him in silence. 

"What in the world would you have to be jealous of?" he asked innocently as if hers had been the most preposterous claim ever made. 

_*Was he serious?*,_ she thought. "Um, maybe her tall, perfect body, her beautiful, blond hair, her gorgeous face, her---" 

Before she could say another word, Obi-Wan had silenced her with a kiss and instantly she melted against his solid chest. 

"Hey, you two! Can you save it for later, please? We're going to be late." Anakin had finally realized that he had lost his two companions. When he had turned around to find them lip locked, he had felt a bit embarrassed. Seeing, Obi-Wan, his wise, straight-laced master, shamelessly embracing a woman in the middle of a crowded city street felt very strange to the teenage boy. It seemed almost... unnatural. Or maybe it was just him. 

Sari chuckled while still kissing the older Jedi, and Obi-Wan forced himself to pull away from her warm, soft mouth. Then he grabbed her hand again and they made their way to dinner and Adara Lon. 

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"Now," she stated searching the restaurant for a sign of the Jedi and the teacher, "they should be here any minute. Make sure you stay out of sight. They may recognize you despite your new dye job and that quaint little goatee you're sporting tonight." 

Adara Lon flashed Deek a toothy grin that a more experienced man might have realized was not genuine, but, being young, it caused the man's heart to race. He was unaware of her feminine manipulation, which is exactly how she wanted it to be. 

Deekoran Hunsu slid out of the booth without taking his eyes off of the woman sitting on the opposite side of the table. Even if he didn't fully trust her, he could still appreciate her feminine charms, her low-cut red dress accentuating her ample 'assets'. If he played his cards right, he might be 'rewarded'. In fact she had basically assured him of the possibility at their last meeting, and he had not forgotten the kiss that sealed the deal. He would get rid of the girl, or the Jedi, or both and then..... well, he forced himself not to be distracted by what would come after the job was done. 

"Later, babe," Deek muttered with an awkward wink at the gorgeous woman he was leaving behind. Once he turned away from her, he didn't see the snarl of disgust that appeared on her face. 

"Ugh!," she mumbled under her breath. Sometimes her work was not entirely enjoyable despite how successful she was. 

Deek settled into a chair at a far corner of the restaurant bar where he could clearly see Adara's table. He had been following Obi-Wan Kenobi for the past twenty-four hours, for what it was worth. The man had only gone to Adara's office and back to the temple-- not much effort required there. But the night was young, and they were to be dining with Adara. They would eventually have to leave and return to the temple. He would get his chance soon enough. 

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Sari gasped in awe when they entered the Bela Astrea restaurant and could readily see why it was called the 'beautiful star.' Never had she seen such a resplendent, opulent place in all her life. She had been in some nice places on Teemar, but nothing that could rival the spectacle of the Bela Astrea. 

Obi-Wan watched her and couldn't keep a small grin from his face while she studied her new surroundings with such obvious wonder. "Welcome to the Bela Astrea, my dear. The loveliest dining establishment on the planet of Coruscant." Sari looked up at him with a smile. "But not as lovely as you," he added with a whisper and a wink, then he gallantly offered his arm which she graciously accepted. 

Did he realize how utterly under his spell she was? No wonder she had come all the way across the universe to see to his safety. If something were to happen to him, she was certain she could never go on living. It was terrifying to care so much about another person, but absolutely wonderful at the same time. 

"There she is... over there," Anakin announced once he spotted Adara Lon. 

Suddenly, the nauseating churn returned to the pit of Sari's stomach. Again, Obi-Wan sensed her need and slid his arm out of hers and firmly wrapped it around her hand. She shivered for a second at his touch, but soon felt a soothing calm filling her body. She smirked at the realization that he was using the Force to help ease her nervousness. She lifted her blue eyes to meet his green and offered a silent 'thank you' for his kindness. 

"You're welcome," he muttered only for her ears. 

_*How did he do that?!*,_ she thought, but couldn't force herself to be angry with him. 

Adara saw them coming and stood to receive them, noting the bearded Jedi's grasp around the woman's hand. Anakin was the only one to notice the jolt of jealousy briefly flash in the blonde's eyes before she quickly regained her composure and motioned for all to sit down. 

"We hope you haven't been waiting long," Obi-Wan offered diplomatically. This was an intriguing side of him, Sari noted, a side that knew how to handle people with finesse. He was good at what he did.... keep the peace. 

"No, of course not. You're right on time. As a matter of fact, I just sat down a moment before you arrived." 

Adara forced a smile at Sari and mentally compared herself to this plain, average woman. _What could he possibly see in her?_ Although Adara had no intentions of creating a real relationship with the Jedi, she had thought that a dalliance with him might be quite entertaining as a sidebar to this job. He was handsome enough, and his stand-offishness toward her had only been a challenge to her womanly skill. However, he seemed to be smitten with this ordinary looking woman,..... and her a teacher no less! The insult was almost unbearable. 

Adara eventually got past her jealousy and refocused on the matter at hand. She needed to find out what they knew about Perrin and his 'employer' before Deek disposed of them. She wasn't completely convinced that the boy could do the job, but the chancellor had assured her, and she wasn't about to question the chancellor. More than once he had reiterated that failure was not an option. 

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Sari had never tasted more delectable dishes than the ones at the Bela Astrea. Every bite was better than the last, and she knew she could get used to it all too easily. Focusing on the food helped to ease her discomfort with the company. She noted how Adara Lon asked question after question of Obi-Wan while still trying to seem slightly disinterested in the whole situation. Every so often, the woman would shoot a question at Sari, let her begin to answer, and then halfway through turn attention back to Obi-Wan. It was very inconsiderate behavior, something Sari would discipline her students for, but found it amusing that someone as outwardly fetching and 'well-bred' as Adara thought naught of it. 

Apparently money and position didn't ensure good manners. 

Anakin ate ravenously, not at all apprehensive about trying new dishes with totally foreign names. It wasn't often that he as a Jedi got the chance to eat so well, and he intended to take full advantage of the opportunity, despite the few sideways glares his master shot at him throughout the meal. He knew he'd probably hear about it later, but he also knew that Obi-Wan's bark was worse than his bite. As soon as Obi-Wan looked away, the boy shoved another mouthful of he-didn't-know-what into his mouth. 

Adara Lon could talk the ears off a gundaark, to quote an old saying Anakin remembered from his childhood on Tatooine. He was beginning to think she just enjoyed hearing the sound of her own voice. Whatever the case, he still didn't feel quite right about her. While Obi-Wan gracefully endured her probing chatter, Anakin kept his senses alert... and not just his sense of taste. 

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"Well, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Adara sparkled as she held his hand in hers a little longer than necessary, "thank you for a wonderful evening. I look forward to meeting you again." 

Sari noted the intended slight of herself and Anakin and couldn't resist. She pushed herself in between the woman and the Jedi, effectively breaking her grip on his hand. 

"Thank you so much, Miss Lon!" Sari gushed as she swung her arms around the unexpecting woman and gave a big squeeze. "Dinner was just great!" She pulled back and forced a large smile onto her face. "We'll have to do it again.... soon!" 

Adara had stumbled from the hug Sari had surprised her with and couldn't keep the shocked look off her face. Clearing her throat, she moved to regain her composure by straightening her dress and hair. Anakin had to bite his bottom lip to keep from laughing. The more time he spent around Sari, the more he liked her and was sure she was perfect for Obi-Wan. 

"Oh, well, yes... of course," Adara stuttered before flashing one of her insincere grins to the trio. 

"Good night," Obi-Wan said with a courteous bow. Then they turned and left Adara Lon standing alone at the table, unhappy with the result of the evening. Glancing back up to see them leaving, Adara felt the anger swell in her as the young teacher turned around and waved heartily with a huge smile on her face. 

Adara hated that woman with a passion. 

A figure caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, and she looked toward the bar. Deek was standing and trying inconspicuously to gain her attention. He shot her an expression that waited for her further instruction, and she jerked her head in the direction of the parting threesome. With a small nod, Deek threw a few credits on the counter and headed out the door determined to get his reward from Adara Lon. 

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_More to come!!...._


End file.
